Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yofiona’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yofiona’, characterized by its compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; coral bronze-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering in mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yofiona’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yofiona’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good garden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made in December, 1999 in Salinas, Calif., of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yogretchen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,672, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 96-L011, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. in October, 2002. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form, attractive floret coloration and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since January, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yofiona has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yofiana’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yofiona’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium decorative-type inflorescences with elongated         oblong-shaped ray florets.     -   5. Coral bronze-colored ray florets.     -   6. Natural season flowering in mid-September in the Northern         Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Yogretchen, primarily in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Yogretchen had orange-colored ray florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were fuller and more mounded         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more         bronze/less purple in color than ray florets of plants of the         male parent selection.     -   5. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had fewer disc florets per         inflorescence than plants of the male parent selection.     -   6. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about six days         earlier than plants of the male parent selection when grown         under natural season conditions.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Dark Grenadine, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,632. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Dark Grenadine in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more mounded         than plants of the cultivar Dark Grenadine.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of the cultivar Dark Grenadine.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were not susceptible to heat         delay whereas plants of the cultivar Dark Grenadine were         susceptible to heat delay.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Tuscany, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Tuscany in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more mounded than and         not as rounded as plants of the cultivar Tuscany.     -   2. Plants of the Chrysanthemum had better garden performance and         were durable than plants of the cultivar Tuscany.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of the cultivar Tuscany.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more         bronze/less pinkish coral in color than ray florets of plants of         the cultivar Tuscany.     -   5. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum had much         better color retention than ray florets of plants of the         cultivar Tuscany.     -   6. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were not affected by heat         delay whereas plants of the cultivar Tuscany were extremely         affected by heat delay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yofiona’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of the cultivar ‘Yofiona’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington, Ontario, Canada during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. Rooted cuttings were planted in 15.25-cm containers, grown under artificial long day conditions (four-hour night interruption) and pinched about ten days later. About ten days after the pinch, plants were then exposed to artificial short day conditions (11.5 hours light) until flowering. During the production of the plants, temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 38° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yofiana. -   Commercial classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar             Yogretchen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,672.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 96-L011,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days             at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous             decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with             mounded crown. Stems initially upright, then somewhat             outwardly spreading; rounded growth habit. Freely branching             with about nine primary branches with secondary lateral             branches potentially forming at every node. Moderately             vigorous to vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 29 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter: About             5.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.1 cm. Aspect: Upright and             somewhat outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             146A.         -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:             About 5.2 cm. Width: About 3.75 cm. Apex: Cuspidate. Base:             Mostly truncate. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses parallel             to convergent. Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; veins prominent. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: More             green than 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: Close to 147B. Venation, upper surface: More             green than 147A. Venation, lower surface: Close to 147B.             Petiole length: About 1.3 cm. Petiole diameter: About             3.5 mm. Petiole color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Petiole             color, lower surface: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with             elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Ray             florets developing acropetally on a capitulum. Above five             inflorescences per secondary lateral branch.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere.         -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About             4 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower             surface of phyllaries): Close to 146A to more green than             147A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.25 cm. Disc diameter: About 6 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 6 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong-shaped. Length: About             1.6 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Corolla tube length: About 4 mm.             Corolla tube diameter: About 1 mm. Apex: Emarginate, rounded             or acute. Margin: Fused. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Orientation: Initially upright,             then eventually perpendicular to the peduncle. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 150 in numerous whorls.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 6A overlain with close to 46A to 53A; color becoming             lighter with development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 6C underlain with close to 53A to             59A.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 4 mm.             Width, apex: About 1 mm. Width, base: About 1 mm. Number of             disc florets per inflorescence: About 32. Color: Immature:             Close to 9A. Mature: Apex: Close to 9A. Mid-section: Close             to 154D. Base: Close to 155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length:             About 5 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146A to more green than 147A.         -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 2.5 cm. Fourth             peduncle: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength:             Strong. Aspect: About 40° from vertical. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to             12A. Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on             both ray and disc florets. Style length: About 4 mm. Style             color: Close to 154A. Stigma color: Close to 9A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from     0° C. to more than 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yofiona’, as illustrated and described. 